On-board cameras have become increasingly common in consumer automobiles. Typically, these cameras are mounted to the back of a vehicle so the driver can conveniently monitor the space behind the vehicle when driving in reverse, though some vehicles may include forward-facing cameras as well. Because the sizes of the objects behind the vehicle can be unknown to the vehicle's on-board computer, these “backup cameras” can be incapable of determining the distance between the vehicle and objects proximate to the vehicle. In order to detect the distance between the vehicle and proximate objects, additional sensors can be used. Consumer automobiles can feature radar or ultrasonic sensors for distance sensing purposes. These sensors can determine the distance between the vehicle and a proximate object, but may have difficulty performing when the object is too close to the sensor. As a result, this technology can be impractical for close-range distance measurements.
These close-range distance measurements can be critical in automated vehicle technology. High accuracy positional measurements can be required to precisely maneuver an automated vehicle into a small space, or to park the vehicle, for example. As the vehicle moves within a small space, the ability to detect objects close to the vehicle can become more important. Because radar and ultrasonic sensors may not be able to measure short distances, these technologies may not be suitable when the vehicle is in a small space. Advanced sensor technology, such as LiDAR, may be able to perform at a range of distances with high accuracy, but are seldom incorporated into consumer automobiles, primarily due to cost. Therefore, there exists a need in the field of consumer automobiles to accurately measure the distance between proximate objects and a vehicle to facilitate automated vehicle control and/or movement, such as automated parking.